France news and discussions

[Time_Traveller]

French rail network hit by arson attacks before Olympics opening ceremony

Fri 26 Jul 2024 13.00 BST

Prosecutors have opened a formal investigation after saboteurs attacked France’s high-speed railway network in a series of “malicious acts” that brought chaos to the country’s busiest rail lines hours before the Olympics opening ceremony.

The state-owned railway operator, SNCF, said arsonists targeted installations along the high-speed TGV lines connecting Paris with the country’s west, north and east, and traffic would be severely disrupted across the country during the weekend.

“This is a massive attack on a large scale to paralyse the TGV network,” the SNCF said, adding that many services would have to be cancelled and the situation would last “at least all weekend while repairs are conducted”.

The Paris public prosecutor, Laure Beccuau, said an investigation had been launched into “deliberate damage of property likely to harm the fundamental interests of the nation” and criminal association.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but French media cited anonymous intelligence sources as saying extreme-left or “anarchist” groups, who had attacked the rail network in the past, or radical environments activists could be suspects.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/artic ... g-ceremony

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[caltrek]

Progressive International Slams Macron for 'Authoritarian Efforts to Repress the Will of the French People'
by Jessica Corbett
August 28, 2024

Introduction:

(Common Dreams) Progressive International on Wednesday issued a scathing critique* of French President Emmanuel Macron and backed calls for protests next month over his rejection of a leftist alliance's candidate for prime minister following recent snap elections.

Nouveau Front Populaire (NFP), a coalition of left-of-center parties formed to counter the far-right in this summer's elections, won the most seats, beating out Macron's centrist alliance and Marine Le Pen's right-wing Rassemblement National (RN), but lacks an absolute majority.

Macron has since refused to appoint NFP's chosen candidate, Lucie Castets, as prime minister, which the Progressive International Observatory blasted as "blatant disregard of the election results and the precedent established throughout the French Fifth Republic."

Progressive International launched in May 2020 to unite, organize, and mobilize progressive groups and individuals around the world, and since then it has built a global Observatory "with the legal expertise, data science, and parliamentary power to track the attacks on our democratic institutions and provide a real-time defense against them."

France's snap elections—which Macron called after his party performed poorly in European elections—were held on June 30 and July 7. Since then, the Observatory noted, "a caretaker government has led France, with Macron citing the Paris Olympics as a reason to delay the appointment."

Read more here: https://www.commondreams.org/news/fren ... nt-macron

*https://progressive.international/obser ... om-us-/en

[Time_Traveller]

At least 12 dead after boat with dozens of migrants 'rips open' in Channel, mayor says

Tuesday 3 September 2024 14:49, UK

At least 12 people have died after a boat with dozens of migrants tore apart in the English Channel, a local mayor has said.

Olivier Barbarin, mayor of Le Portel, a French coastal town being used in a rescue operation, said "the bottom of the boat ripped open".

The French coastguard said more than 50 people had been rescued after a vessel got into difficulties on Tuesday morning.

Local authorities said several people needed emergency treatment and a temporary medical post has been set up at the port at Boulogne-sur-Mer, about 28 miles (45km) southwest of Calais.

A spokesperson for the French maritime prefecture said helicopters and boats have been used in the search for survivors.

https://news.sky.com/story/at-least-13- ... l-13208838

[Time_Traveller]

Former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier named France’s new prime minister

30 minutes ago

Former EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has been appointed as the new French prime minister following weeks of political deadlock.

Mr Barnier, who negotiated Britain’s departure from the European Union between 2016 and 2019, has been tasked with forming a new government by French president Emmanuel Macron.

Mr Macron has spent weeks trying to find a compromise candidate for his minority government that would not be blocked by the powerful left-wing alliance in parliament or the hard right National Rally (RN).

The 73-year-old is seen as being more acceptable to Marine Le Pen’s National Rally and the moderate wing of the Socialist Party, the junior partner of the left-wing New Popular Front.

However, hard-left France Unbowed leader Jean-Luc Melenchon slammed the appointment and said the new executive was “practically a government of Macron along with Marine le Pen” while calling for protests.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/worl ... 07597.html

[Time_Traveller]

Thousands protest in France over Macron's choice of PM

7 September 2024, 13:23 BST



Tens of thousands of people are protesting across France against the nomination of right-wing Michel Barnier as the new prime minister, after an inconclusive election in which the left won the largest number of seats.

Demonstrations are underway in cities including Paris, Marseille, Nantes, Nice and Starsbourg.

The protests were called by trade unions and left-wing political parties, who are furious that their own candidate for prime minister was rejected by President Emmanuel Macron.

Mr Barnier, the EU's former Brexit negotiator, said he is open to forming a government with politicians across the political spectrum, including the left.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon, a veteran firebrand from the radical France Unbowed party, called for the "most powerful mobilisation possible" in national marches.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clywrqr92dpo

[caltrek]

Thousands March in France Against Sexual Violence
by Olivia Rosane
September 14, 2024

Introduction:

(Common Dreams) Thousands of people took to the streets in 30 French cities and Brussels on Saturday to protest rape and sexist violence and to support Gisèle Pélicot, a woman in her early 70s whose husband of 50 years is on trial for drugging her periodically and inviting dozens of men into their home to rape her while she was unconscious.

Pélicot has become a symbol of the fight against sexual violence in France when she decided to make the trial of her husband and 50 other men public to ensure that "no woman suffers this."

"We are all Gisèle," protesters chanted in Paris, according to Le Monde. "Rapist we see you, victim we believe you."

(See linked article for Twitter feed from Eleanor Beardsley)

The crime was discovered when her now ex-husband Dominique, a 71 year old who has plead guilty to drugging and raping his wife, was caught taking photos up the skirts of women in 2020. As part of that investigation, police uncovered a USB drive with a file labeled "abuse," which included more than 20,000 photos and videos of the attacks on his wife that were taken over a nine-year period. There was evidence that he had recruited more than 80 men to participate via an online forum. Police identified and charged 50 of the participants.

Read more here: https://www.commondreams.org/news/sexu ... e-protest

[firestar464]

France Prepares to Raise Taxes on Businesses and the Rich

https://archive.ph/Zkg8x

[firestar464]

France’s New Government Is a Hard Turn to the Right

https://jacobin.com/2024/09/france-mich ... publicains

Yeah I'm not sure how long it's gonna last.

[Time_Traveller]

Le Pen goes on trial for alleged misuse of EU funds in case that could derail her career

1 hour ago



Marine Le Pen has gone on trial accused of embezzling EU funds, in a case that could derail her political ambitions thanks to a possible fine, prison sentence and ban from public office if found guilty.

The leader of the far-right National Rally (RN) party, Ms Le Pen is accused of using EU funds to pay Brussels-hired staff for work that was unrelated to their business in the EU, which is not permitted under EU regulations.

Denying any wrongdoing when arriving at court, Ms Le Pen said: "We have not violated any political and regulatory rules of the European parliament". She vowed to present "extremely serious and extremely solid arguments" in the nine-week trial.

Coming almost a decade after initial investigations started, the trial potentially puts Ms Le Pen at risk of being barred for up to 10 years from public office. RN and 27 of its top officials are accused of having used money destined for EU parliamentary aides to pay staff who instead did political work for the party between 2004 and 2016.

Investigating judges have alleged that Ms Le Pen, as party leader, orchestrated the allocation of parliamentary assistance budgets and instructed MEPs to hire individuals holding party positions. These individuals were presented as EU parliamentary assistants, but in reality, were allegedly working for RN in various capacities.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/worl ... 21178.html

[caltrek]

^^^One wonders, will she become a martyr for right wing causes, or will taking her out as a leader severely weaken the extreme right?

[Time_Traveller]

^^^One wonders, will she become a martyr for right wing causes, or will taking her out as a leader severely weaken the extreme right?

Me too, but I hope the latter will prevail. Otherwise we'll have a female Trump of sorts.

[weatheriscool]

French government collapses in no-confidence vote

The French government has collapsed after Prime Minister Michel Barnier was ousted in a no-confidence vote.

MPs voted overwhelmingly in support of the motion against him - just three months after he was appointed by President Emmanuel Macron.

Opposition parties had tabled the motion after the former Brexit negotiator controversially used special powers to force through his budget without a vote.

It marks the first time the country's government has collapsed in a no-confidence vote since 1962.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdxz934p56qo

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[firestar464]

Yeah, a channel featuring quite literally live sexual harassment is utterly gross

[firestar464]

Le Pen goes on trial for alleged misuse of EU funds in case that could derail her career

1 hour ago



Marine Le Pen has gone on trial accused of embezzling EU funds, in a case that could derail her political ambitions thanks to a possible fine, prison sentence and ban from public office if found guilty.

The leader of the far-right National Rally (RN) party, Ms Le Pen is accused of using EU funds to pay Brussels-hired staff for work that was unrelated to their business in the EU, which is not permitted under EU regulations.

Denying any wrongdoing when arriving at court, Ms Le Pen said: "We have not violated any political and regulatory rules of the European parliament". She vowed to present "extremely serious and extremely solid arguments" in the nine-week trial.

Coming almost a decade after initial investigations started, the trial potentially puts Ms Le Pen at risk of being barred for up to 10 years from public office. RN and 27 of its top officials are accused of having used money destined for EU parliamentary aides to pay staff who instead did political work for the party between 2004 and 2016.

Investigating judges have alleged that Ms Le Pen, as party leader, orchestrated the allocation of parliamentary assistance budgets and instructed MEPs to hire individuals holding party positions. These individuals were presented as EU parliamentary assistants, but in reality, were allegedly working for RN in various capacities.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/worl ... 21178.html

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[caltrek]

In Macron’s France, Tweeting in Support of Palestine Can Get You Jail Time
by Robert Belano
June 13, 2025

Introduction:

(Left Voice) On June 18, Anasse Kazib, a French railway worker, trade unionist and socialist leader will stand trial for the charge of “apologia for terrorism.” His supposed crime? Tweets posted to the social media platform X in support of the Palestinian people in rejection of Israel’s campaign of genocide. France concedes that Kazib has no ties to terrorist organizations nor has he engaged in terror-related actions and is persecuting him simply on the basis that his speech offends the Israeli state and its supporters. With this campaign against Kazib and other activists, the French state, led by president Emmanuel Macron is attempting to chill the movement for Palestine as a whole and to ensure the continued impunity of Israel.

Additional Extract:

In France, the Macron government is currently carrying out a major rollback on the right to speech. In April 2024, various figures of the French left including Rima Hassan, a member of the European Parliament, Mathilde Panot, the president of the France Insoumise group in the National Assembly, and Anasse Kazib, a railway worker and leading member of the political organization Révolution Permanente— the sister organization of Left Voice — were summoned by anti-terrorism police for the inscrutable charge of “apologia for terrorism.” None of the accused were alleged by the French government to have participated in or planned terrorist acts, nor even to have materially supported terrorist groups. The evidence presented against Panot was a written communiqué put out by her party, France Insoumise. Hassan was investigated for an interview she gave with the media outlet Le Crayon. In Kazib’s case, the only “crime” amounted to a series of tweets denouncing Israel’s longstanding aggression and dispossession of the Palestinian people.

Though the investigation into Panot and Hassan was later dropped, the French state has continued to prosecute Anasse Kazib, A conviction carries the possibility of jail time and a fine of up to €100,000. France has already convicted hundreds of people since this highly undemocratic amendment was added to the legal code in 2014.

Read more here: https://www.leftvoice.org/in-macrons-f ... ail-time/

[firestar464]

I mean, he did specifically support Hamas's "surprise offensive." He didn't just support Palestine.

https://archive.ph/IWtME#selection-1401 ... %20boucher).